shimokawasachiko 目次
Agree Or Disagree: Japan should return the age of adulthood to 20.
日本は成人年齢を20歳に戻すべきだ。
POINTS: Political Participation, Social Responsibilities, Payment of Child Support, Immaturity, Independence
観点：政治参加、社会的責任、養育費、未熟、自立
成人年齢引き下げの背景
少子高齢化に伴い、選挙投票率は若年層において非常に低く、また政治家は当選するために投票率の高い高齢者にアピールする様な政策を打ち出す傾向にある。こういった状況を改善し、若者に政治への参加を促すために選挙権年齢を引き下げる意図から公職選挙法改定が行われ、2016年（平成28年）9月より18歳以上20歳未満の国民も投票可能となった。その後、民法における成人年齢の引き下げも議論されるようになった。
まず、適切な成人年齢を議論するにあたり、成人年齢に達すれば何が出来るようになるのか理解し、そこから起こり得る問題などを考えてみよう。
Japan lowers age of adulthood from 20 to 18-years-old (English).
賛成派：成人年齢を20歳に戻すべきだ（239 語）
AGREE Or DISAGREE: Japan should return the age of adulthood to 20.
POINTS: Social Responsibilities / Payment of Child Support / Immaturity
Introduction
It is outright inappropriate that 18- and 19-year-olds are classified as adults under the Civil Code in Japan. Social issues associated with the change will become common. Here, I discuss three major problems.
18歳19歳が日本の民法において成人とみなされるのは全く不適切です。この変更に伴う社会問題は、ごく一般的なこととなるでしょう。ここでは、主な3つの問題について議論します。
Discussion 1
Firstly, naive 18- and 19-year-old children now may have to live as adults in a society full of scams and dishonesty. For example, they can easily lend money from consumer finance companies, which would not openly inform their high interests, without parental consent. Another problematic example would be porn. Its outrageous reward may attract some high school students to act in porn impulsively.
まず、世間知らずの18歳19歳の子供たちは、いま詐欺や不正行為が横行する社会で成人として生きて行かなくてはなりません。例えば、非常に高い金利について表立っては情報提供しない消費者金融会社から、保護者の同意なしに簡単にお金を借りることが出来ます。他の問題を孕んだ例として、ポルノがあげられます。その法外な報酬につられて、衝動的に高校生がポルノに出演してしまうかもしれません。
Discussion 2
Secondly, divorced parents may stop payment for child support even if their children are still in high school as they have already reached the age of 18. Even though this is not supposed to happen under the law, it’s very likely to occur in Japan. Single mothers already have financial difficulties that have worsened due to the covid-19. How can they raise their children without child support?
次に、子供が18歳・成人に達したとして、まだ高校生であるにも関わらず、離婚した親が養育費の支払いをやめてしまう可能性もあります。法的にこれはあってはならない事ですが、日本ではとても起こり得ることです。シングルマザーは、コロナウイルスのせいで悪化した財政難に既に苦しんでいます。養育費なしで、一体どのようにして彼女たちは子供を育てていけば良いのでしょうか？
Discussion 3
Lastly, 18- and 19-year-olds can now be appointed as a jury. It doesn’t require special knowledge or skills to be a jury but needs at least mental maturity. Generally speaking, most 18- and 19-year-olds don’t have such maturity.
最後に、18・19歳は陪審員に選ばれる事もあり得ます。陪審員になるのに、特別な知識や技術は必要ありませんが、最低限でも精神的な成熟さは必要です。一般的に、ほとんどの18歳19歳はそのような成熟さは持ち合わせていません。
Conclusion
In conclusion, although lowering the age of adultness to 18 has some benefits, the disadvantages mentioned above would cause more significant impacts on society and newly categorised adults. To protect them, Japan should reconsider the age of adulthood.
結論として、成人年齢を18歳に引き下げることのメリットもいくつかありますが、前述した問題点が社会や法改正により新しく成人と見なされるようになった人達に与える影響はより大きなものになるでしょう。社会や彼らを守るために、日本は成人年齢を考え直すべきです。
賛成派：本文全文（音源つき）
It is outright inappropriate that 18- and 19-year-olds are classified as adults under the Civil Code in Japan. Social issues associated with the change will become common. Here, I discuss three major problems.
Firstly, naive 18- and 19-year-old children now may have to live as adults in a society full of scams and dishonesty. For example, they can easily lend money from consumer finance companies, which would not openly inform their high interests, without parental consent. Another problematic example would be porn. Its outrageous reward may attract some high school students to act in porn impulsively.
Secondly, divorced parents may stop the payment for child support even if their children are still in high school as they have already reached the age of 18. Even though this is not supposed to happen under the law, it’s very likely to occur in Japan. Single mothers already have financial difficulties that have worsened due to the covid-19. How can they raise their children without child support?
Lastly, 18- and 19-year-olds can now be appointed as a jury. It doesn’t require special knowledge or skills to be a jury but needs at least mental maturity. Generally speaking, most 18- and 19-year-olds don’t have such maturity.
In conclusion, although lowering the age of adultness to 18 has some benefits, the disadvantages mentioned above would cause more significant impacts on society and newly categorised adults. To protect them, Japan should reconsider the age of adulthood.
反対派： 成人年齢は18歳で良い（240 語)
AGREE Or DISAGREE: Japan should return the age of adulthood to 20.
POINTS: Political Participation / Social Responsibilities / Independence
Introduction
Maturity largely varies among individuals. It is impossible to draw a line by age between adults and adolescents. We should, therefore, focus on the positive aspects that lowering the age of adulthood would bring rather than returning it to 20.
成熟さは、個人間でかなり大きな差があり、成人と青年の間に年齢によって線をひくのは不可能です。ですから、成人年齢を20歳に戻すという議論より、成人年齢引き下げがもたらす前向きな観点にフォーカスすべきでしょう。
Discussion 1
The change, to begin with, will increase the number of people who can legally vote, particularly in younger generations. Political parties, then, would make pledges attaching great importance to the younger generations. This would, in turn, revitalise politics which is currently very dull in Japan.
まず、この変更により法律上、投票できる人の数が特に若い世代において増えることになるでしょう。ですから政党は若い世代を重要視した公約をかかげることになるでしょう。そして今度は非常に沈滞している日本の政治を活性化することに繫がるでしょう。
Discussion 2
Second, young people have increasingly committed crimes lately, including late teens. Revising the age of adulthood has also led to the amendment of the Juvenile Law. Consequently, 18- and 19-year old criminals who used to be protected under the Law may be punished as an adult in some cases, and the media can also show their full names and face. This hopefully could help prevent late teens from offending the laws.
次に、最近ではハイティーン(17～19歳）を含む若者が犯罪を犯すことが増えてきています。 成人年齢の改定は、少年法改定に繫がりました。結果、かつて少年法により守られていた18歳19歳の犯罪者は、場合によっては成人として罰せられることになります。メディアも氏名や顔を報道する事ができます。こういった事が、ハイティーンが犯罪に加担する事への抑止力となることが期待されます。
Discussion 3
Last but not least, some minorities certainly welcome the change to the age of adulthood. For example, people with gender identity disorder could now appeal to a family court for legal gender modification at 18. Children with serious family issues, such as domestic violence and toxic parents, could become independent from their parents earlier.
最後になりましたが、決して軽んじるべきでないことに、少数派の人たちの中に成人年齢変更を喜んでいる人達は間違いなくいます。例えば、性同一性障害をかかえた人達は、18歳になったら法的な性別の変更を家庭裁判所に申し立てできます。家庭内暴力や毒親などの深刻な家庭問題をかかえた子供たちも、以前より早く両親から自立し生きていくことができます。
Conclusion
In conclusion, the revision seems beneficial for society and some young adults. Then we should keep the age of adulthood at 18 and control potential problems the change might cause.
結論として、今回の改定は社会や、若者も状況によっては恩恵をうけるように見受けられます。そうであるなら、我々は成人年齢を18歳とし続け、成人年齢引き下げによって起こり得る問題を管理していくべきです。
反対派：本文全文（音源つき）
Maturity largely varies among individuals. It is impossible to draw a line by age between adults and adolescents. We should, therefore, focus on the positive aspects that lowering the age of adulthood would bring rather than returning it to 20.
The change, to begin with, will increase the number of people who can legally vote, particularly in younger generations. Political parties, then, would make pledges attaching great importance to the younger generations. This would, in turn, revitalise politics which is currently very dull in Japan.
Second, young people have increasingly committed crimes lately, including late teens. Revising the age of adulthood has also led to the amendment of the Juvenile Law. Consequently, 18- and 19-year old criminals who used to be protected under the Law may be punished as an adult in some cases, and the media can also show their full names and face. This hopefully could help prevent late teens from offending the laws.
Last but not least, some minorities certainly welcome the change to the age of adulthood. For example, people with gender identity disorder could now appeal to a family court for legal gender modification at 18. Children with serious family issues, such as domestic violence and toxic parents, could become independent from their parents earlier.
In conclusion, the revision seems beneficial for society and some young adults. Then we should keep the age of adulthood at 18 and control potential problems the change might cause.
まとめ
今回の成人年齢の改定に関し、大多数のひとの関心事は、成人式がいつになるのかであって起こり得る問題に注意を払う人は少ないと聞きます。
しかし、18歳で何が出来るようになって、それによりどういう影響がおこり得るのかなど、自分に直接関わり合いのないことでも今回の改定の詳細を知る事こそが責任ある大人になる第一歩ではないでしょうか？
こちらの記事もお薦めです。水道は民営化されるべきか？
